@tyreemj67- the song was released at the end of November in 1965 (which could be why they listed that year), but you are right, it hit the Top 10 in 1966, and this performance (sadly, one of the few national TV shows they did) was, in fact, February of 1966.
It always saddens me when we lose a legendary performer - especially when they are from my home town - Motown. The Motown performers were a tightly-knit family and whenever another one passes it's like losing a family member to me - as they all made their way into my family through their music. There will never be another. Rest in peace Gladys Horton.
@wonderboyjoy Actually the lady in the middle with the darker stockings is Glady's Horton.She died recently but unlike the Supremes she (Glady's) was also a featured lead singer in the group. wanda did lead on all of the songs written by smokey robinson including this one but she and Glady's alternated lead vocals on a string of hits for exampleGladys too many fish in the sea Wanda My baby must be a magician gladysplayboy wanda you're my remedy etc pardon the typing!!
@behdoc Of course you are right!!! Thanks for the correction. "As Long as you are a Marvelettes fan" You are definetley " A Good Guy/Gal Yes You Are" Keep up the good work, Peace & Much Love
@wonderboyjoy Gladys and Wanda use to spat over who's voice was more important to the group, and ironically when they first formed as a quintette Kathrine the girl on the left was the lead singer, but Berry Gordy decided at the time (1961) Gladys had the most commercial sound
@melodymx86 i thought as much...so it was not just diana doing the diva stuff. i can remember reading that florence of the supremes got on well with the marvalettes. i can just imagine the jealous hatred they were spilliung on diana....but hey, we're here for this great song. i really love it.
Katherine was never the "lead" singer. She did the lead at the talent show. Georgia Dobbins wrote Please Mr. Postman and was to have lead the song. When she decided to leave the group she asked Gladys to do the lead. Gordy had nothing to do with that decision. He wasn't even involved with them at that point.
Why so nasty? It's not that serious. You do realize you may not be the only person to have spoken to someone there, don't you? You don't know who I know.
@tropicalpancake56 kinda, 2 original members were gone by this point they started out with 5 girls, Juanita left in September 62 and Georgeanna left in early 1965
@carolinaguy321 - frequently in the 1960s-70s, the background singers would record their vocals before the performance (or they just used the track from the original 45). they lip-synched on the TV show because vocal group background singers dance around a lot and live singing doesn't work so well when the TV audience wants to see them move. But the lead singers usually sang live. in a lot of these videos you'll notice the background singers are lipsyncing but the lead singer is live.
Totally! This would have been great to have a Hillary immitator sing this to Monica in an SNL skit. then Bill could have broke out the sax and looked all cool playing it in a suit and some raybans. LOL
One of the best MoTown cuts. This one is part of the soundtrack of my life. I'm glad I was a teen at this time. Moody, atmospheric soulful magic...I think it was written about Bill "Smoky" Robinson.
@dpohunter You're saying that 42 state governments have outlawed "bows". I don't believe you. I'm certain such moves by state governments would have been well covered by the media. What can I google to locate news coverage?
Georgeanna left in early 65, they discovered she had sickle cell, so it was doctors orders, its not something she wanted to do, she stayed at motown as a secratary, she died from sickle cell and lupus January 6, 1980, she was married to Billy Gordon of The Contours
Motown Master, if I might add. After leaving the group and becoming a secretary, Georgeanna also completed high school and was enrolled at Wayne state taking college courses before her illness started to affect her health. It is not known what happened between Billy Gordon but Georgeanna moved back to Inkster to her mothers place as her health further deteriorated.
Yes it was 1999 when Billy Gordon past away. I believe we talked about this sometime in January, Behdoc. Drop me a line, Behdoc. Currently, I'm setting up an interview with the winners of the talent show that the Marvelettes appeared on at Inkster High back in 1961. If you remember, I plan to go see my ailing uncle in Inkster when the weather gets warm and get the information we talked about.
Agree, Jet, we've got to get back to this type of music venue so that our kids can feel free to participate in musical ventures without the extreme perfection that our age has mandated.
Ahhh, those Marvelettes... so fine, so sexy, so just out-of-reach glam. Love their moves and Wanda's expressions. No present-day rap-grind video can compare with the talent of these three ladies!
It's a pop classic! That was their biggest hit after "Please Mr. Postman". After the rise of the Supremes, the Marvelettes struggle for a year before coming up with "Don't Mess with Bill", written and produced by the great Smokey Robinson.
This was a hit a big hit in Feb.1966 it peaked at (#3 r&b, 7pop). This was their comeback hit. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson. He's the one their singing about in the song.
Katherine, Gladys, Wanda...THE MARVELETTES!!!
Phenomenal, exciting, sexy...and probably the most unsung of all Motown's #1 hitmakers...
mnmcv1 2 weeks ago
Hullabaloo, 1966, not 1965...the song was a hit in 1966!
tyreemj67 1 month ago
@tyreemj67- the song was released at the end of November in 1965 (which could be why they listed that year), but you are right, it hit the Top 10 in 1966, and this performance (sadly, one of the few national TV shows they did) was, in fact, February of 1966.
mnmcv1 2 weeks ago
The Marvelettes should have BEEN Inducted into the Rock& Roll Hall of Fame YEARS AGO!!! Shame on them!!!
zodiolestes 3 months ago
THE BADDEST OF THE BAD-ASSES!!!!
stanner72 3 months ago
*Kid *Capri put me up one this one right here Thank's Kid!!!!!!!!
FSBMoneyGang 5 months ago
I don't know why, but I always thought this song was sung by Marilyn McCoo (with the Fifth Dimension). Her voice was totally different that McCoo's.
LadySwag502 5 months ago
@LadySwag502 You may have been confusing it with McCoo's "Marry Me Bill" which I have also frequently mixed up with this song.
mclarke825 1 month ago
1 person must of messed with bill......
MrBrownstylenet 6 months ago
fuckin bad ass!!!!!
stanner72 6 months ago
@TheParamountPrinces: Hey, those bows were the THING back then. I had one for every color in the rainbow!
carolinhouston 7 months ago
dont mess with Bill...one of my all time favorites.thou I enjoy Bach to oldies..u cant go wrong with the marvelettes.
suzievargas1 7 months ago
fuck i got goosebumps
ziyahd31 8 months ago
Billy billy booster had a little rooster the roster died and billy cried poor billy billy booster
divisorplot 8 months ago
HELL YES THIS IS THE SHIT HOLD THE PHONE CALLS WE HAVE A WINNER THANK YOU FOR POST CLASS ACT WE ARE SOUTHERN CAL.
bx944 9 months ago
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aaron3009 10 months ago
A real super-sexy bump-and-grind kinda song.... love it.
JET997u 10 months ago
White Bows are awful... oh well.. the song is sexy...
TheParamountPrincess 10 months ago
Gladys,Katherine and Wanda are working that choreography!!!!
MissJackieM 11 months ago 8
No,, Glady's baby!!! YOU HAVE NO COMPETITION. You are at the top..
bonampok 1 year ago
Thanks. I was happy to be told it was J.W. but I'd have thought I'd recognise his style, and it bothered me, but now I know.
festinger3 1 year ago
Pure American Music.....A true example of the original R&B sound....First class!....
mrgarcia500 1 year ago
Pure Gold!!!
doglips1958 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
It always saddens me when we lose a legendary performer - especially when they are from my home town - Motown. The Motown performers were a tightly-knit family and whenever another one passes it's like losing a family member to me - as they all made their way into my family through their music. There will never be another. Rest in peace Gladys Horton.
flexxmi 1 year ago
RIP, Sis Gladys!
blqceaser 1 year ago
How cool was that lead! Were the other two ever jealous like mary and florence ?
wonderboyjoy 1 year ago
@wonderboyjoy Actually the lady in the middle with the darker stockings is Glady's Horton.She died recently but unlike the Supremes she (Glady's) was also a featured lead singer in the group. wanda did lead on all of the songs written by smokey robinson including this one but she and Glady's alternated lead vocals on a string of hits for exampleGladys too many fish in the sea Wanda My baby must be a magician gladysplayboy wanda you're my remedy etc pardon the typing!!
526arh 1 year ago
@526arh
Gladys did lead on Smokey songs too such as "He's A Good Guy, Yes He Is" and "As Long As I Know He's Mine."
behdoc 1 year ago
@behdoc Of course you are right!!! Thanks for the correction. "As Long as you are a Marvelettes fan" You are definetley " A Good Guy/Gal Yes You Are" Keep up the good work, Peace & Much Love
526arh 1 year ago
@wonderboyjoy Gladys and Wanda use to spat over who's voice was more important to the group, and ironically when they first formed as a quintette Kathrine the girl on the left was the lead singer, but Berry Gordy decided at the time (1961) Gladys had the most commercial sound
melodymx86 1 year ago
@melodymx86 i thought as much...so it was not just diana doing the diva stuff. i can remember reading that florence of the supremes got on well with the marvalettes. i can just imagine the jealous hatred they were spilliung on diana....but hey, we're here for this great song. i really love it.
wonderboyjoy 1 year ago
@melodymx86
Katherine was never the "lead" singer. She did the lead at the talent show. Georgia Dobbins wrote Please Mr. Postman and was to have lead the song. When she decided to leave the group she asked Gladys to do the lead. Gordy had nothing to do with that decision. He wasn't even involved with them at that point.
behdoc 1 year ago
@behdoc actually he was, i was told this by people who were there, were you there? i think not!
MotownMaster 1 year ago
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behdoc 11 months ago
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behdoc 11 months ago
@MotownMaster
Why so nasty? It's not that serious. You do realize you may not be the only person to have spoken to someone there, don't you? You don't know who I know.
behdoc 11 months ago
Thanks for that. Junior walker's my sax playing ,12yr old sons' hero!
festinger3 1 year ago
@festinger3 sorry thats Mike Terry on sax, the same guy who played sax on Heat Wave and Where did Our Love Go
melodymx86 1 year ago
I LIKE THIS SONG
grandmamaable 1 year ago
Some spooky moves from these Motown chicks...!
kabbovi 1 year ago
Thanks up-loader.
Am surprised (and ashamed to say it!) have just found the Marvelettes!Does anyone know who played that growly sax? King Curtis like sounds.
festinger3 1 year ago
@festinger3 junior walker
paul24w 1 year ago
@paul24w thats not Jr Walker on sax, thats funk brother Mike Terry
melodymx86 1 year ago
Girl groups forever!!!!!
LesbianVampireLover 1 year ago
Ahhhh....the original lineup! CLASS ACT!
tropicalpancake56 1 year ago
@tropicalpancake56 kinda, 2 original members were gone by this point they started out with 5 girls, Juanita left in September 62 and Georgeanna left in early 1965
MotownMaster 1 year ago 2
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Jibjub80 1 year ago
my grandma would blast this
NSaNePrEp11 1 year ago 2
man the vibe she sings "leave my billy alone..." with just kills me... some serious Soul goin on here!
bassface84 1 year ago
I can hear they were singing live but, It appears they were also singling along with the record in he background.
carolinaguy321 1 year ago
@carolinaguy321 - frequently in the 1960s-70s, the background singers would record their vocals before the performance (or they just used the track from the original 45). they lip-synched on the TV show because vocal group background singers dance around a lot and live singing doesn't work so well when the TV audience wants to see them move. But the lead singers usually sang live. in a lot of these videos you'll notice the background singers are lipsyncing but the lead singer is live.
tylerglenn 1 year ago
@carolinaguy321 I agree but it is still a very rare clip and I love it!!! Greetings from Winston-Salem. Marvelettes are Simply Marvelous!!!
526arh 1 year ago
So sexy, it's hypnotic.
kl59 1 year ago
hey lewinsky, did u hear that? I'll say it 1 more time.
DONT MESS WITH BILL!!!
leave her pilly alone.
PEACE.
belizeambushgal 1 year ago
@belizeambushgal
Totally! This would have been great to have a Hillary immitator sing this to Monica in an SNL skit. then Bill could have broke out the sax and looked all cool playing it in a suit and some raybans. LOL
rainer1980 1 year ago
@rainer1980 totally. u just wrote a nice script 4 SNL.
BTY.u probally thought I missed spelled billy.
but in belize pilly is slang for the male private part.lol
peace.
belizeambushgal 1 year ago 3
I loveed when moms played this tune.
lowendfella 1 year ago
CLASSIC!!!!
markagivens01 1 year ago
Thank you sooo much for sharing this is a classic
LazyInu 1 year ago
Wanda has the sexiest voice
MotownMaster 2 years ago 3
One of the best MoTown cuts. This one is part of the soundtrack of my life. I'm glad I was a teen at this time. Moody, atmospheric soulful magic...I think it was written about Bill "Smoky" Robinson.
flamesounds 2 years ago
Damn! That's a slick choreographed intro. Motown rules!
behdoc 2 years ago
I LOVE LOVE IT!! Wish it was in color though!!
christheone8773 2 years ago
ffferocious, I was just making a joke regarding the giant bows in their hairdoos. Have a good one!
dpohunter 2 years ago
you guys are all probably my mom's age huh ? dee-zamn ! great song though !
hoodrichGMP 2 years ago
and what's funny is i really got a friend named Bill and he's old than a mufucka too ! but , he still my man though ! imm go call that nigga . word !
hoodrichGMP 2 years ago
They be werkin it! Thankfully, those bows are now outlawed in 42 states! Great song, great video!
dpohunter 2 years ago
@dpohunter You're saying that 42 state governments have outlawed "bows". I don't believe you. I'm certain such moves by state governments would have been well covered by the media. What can I google to locate news coverage?
ffferocious 2 years ago
I thought there were four girls in the marvelettes. what happened to the 4th member and when did she leave?
best1forward 2 years ago
There were originally five. Juanita Cowart left in '62 and Georgeanna Tillman left in '65.
behdoc 2 years ago
Georgeanna left in early 65, they discovered she had sickle cell, so it was doctors orders, its not something she wanted to do, she stayed at motown as a secratary, she died from sickle cell and lupus January 6, 1980, she was married to Billy Gordon of The Contours
MotownMaster 2 years ago 2
@MotownMaster thank you for the reply. i am sorry to hear that Georgeanna passed away some time ago.
best1forward 2 years ago
Motown Master, if I might add. After leaving the group and becoming a secretary, Georgeanna also completed high school and was enrolled at Wayne state taking college courses before her illness started to affect her health. It is not known what happened between Billy Gordon but Georgeanna moved back to Inkster to her mothers place as her health further deteriorated.
xunclexx 2 years ago
Billy Gordon died in the late 90s. I think in '99.
behdoc 2 years ago
Yes it was 1999 when Billy Gordon past away. I believe we talked about this sometime in January, Behdoc. Drop me a line, Behdoc. Currently, I'm setting up an interview with the winners of the talent show that the Marvelettes appeared on at Inkster High back in 1961. If you remember, I plan to go see my ailing uncle in Inkster when the weather gets warm and get the information we talked about.
xunclexx 2 years ago
i like how they say no no no no at 0:12, 0:51, 1:29 and at 2:23 the whole preformance was great
19DJD 2 years ago
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19DJD 2 years ago
I always loved Gladys the best, but this song fits Wanda like a glove!
rioboy13 2 years ago 2
thanks for posting this time(less) capsule!
MikeIdy6000 2 years ago
hahhahaha really like it!!!!
I found my song!
*~bill
notag43100 2 years ago
Cool song and great to play after Lee Dorsey : Working in the Coalmine .-)
fortheloveoftunes 2 years ago
this song still sounds fresh and fantastic.
best1forward 2 years ago
This is a great song!
Sincerely,
Bill
lowgrau 2 years ago
the way wanda looks into the camera on 2:09.....so sexy...so sexy
mfalmekali 2 years ago
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19DJD 2 years ago
Love it!!! They are so beautiful and cool!!!
squiffydoodle 2 years ago 3
Was this used at all in either volume of "Kill Bill"?
fnkyfrshdrssed19 2 years ago
Agree, Jet, we've got to get back to this type of music venue so that our kids can feel free to participate in musical ventures without the extreme perfection that our age has mandated.
Rock on, all!!!
lynne52l 2 years ago
Ahhh, those Marvelettes... so fine, so sexy, so just out-of-reach glam. Love their moves and Wanda's expressions. No present-day rap-grind video can compare with the talent of these three ladies!
JET997u 2 years ago 3
shame that this wasnt a hit.
jacksinclaircool 3 years ago
you're right. It's always been a cool song.
mmangum4444 3 years ago
It was a hit. It went to No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Billboard R&B singles. It's still remembered today.
Supremes59 2 years ago 8
It's a pop classic! That was their biggest hit after "Please Mr. Postman". After the rise of the Supremes, the Marvelettes struggle for a year before coming up with "Don't Mess with Bill", written and produced by the great Smokey Robinson.
timmy841212 2 years ago 8
This was a hit a big hit in Feb.1966 it peaked at (#3 r&b, 7pop). This was their comeback hit. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson. He's the one their singing about in the song.
rufus317 2 years ago